CBI director, special director fight didn't emerge overnight: SC
What's the story
The Supreme Court, which is hearing CBI-Director Alok Verma's plea against the Center's decision to divest him of powers and send him on leave, today said the essence of government action must be in the interest of the institution. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said Attorney General K K Venugopal told it that circumstances culminating in the situation started in July.
The statement
CVC attorney referred to SC judgments in his defense
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), referred to the judgments by the apex court and laws governing the CBI, in his defense. The apex court said it was not that the fight between the CBI director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana emerged overnight, forcing the government to divest the director of powers without consulting the Selection Committee.
Information
Verma, Asthana fighting like Kilkenny cats, so took decision: Government
while justifying the decision to divest Verma of his duties, the government told the Supreme Court yesterday that the CBI director Verma and the special director Rakesh Asthana were fighting like "Kilkenny cats", exposing the country's premier investigating agency to "public ridicule".
Justifying decision
Government was within its right to intervene: AG tells SC
Attorney General (AG) K K Venugopal also told SC that the government was well "within its right to intervene" and send both officers on leave by divesting them of their powers. The top law officer asserted that "only the God knows where and how this fight between the two top officers would have ended" if the government would not have taken the action.
Information
SC hearing pleas of Verma and NGO Common Cause
Venugopal said the decision was aimed at restoring the public faith in CBI. The court was hearing pleas of Verma, who is challenging the Center's decision against him, and NGO Common Cause, seeking a court-monitored SIT probe into corruption allegations against various CBI-officials, including Asthana.